Luggage designed with sufficient portability to accompany the traveler wherever he or she goes is known in the art. Typical examples of portable luggage are garment bags and duffels intended to be stowed in the overhead bins of aircraft or, for smaller articles of luggage, to fit beneath the seat in front of the air traveler. The limited sizes of locations for stowing carry-on luggage mean that the luggage must fit within those spaces or, in the alternative, must be capable of folding to a minimum size appropriate for stowage. Such foldable luggage typical comes equipped with straps along its sides or ends, for securing the luggage in its folded configuration. These straps or similar securement members are unbuckled or unsnapped to permit unfolding or expanding the luggage to its full position, for example, allowing a garment bag to hang upright so that its contents become readily accessible.
Garment bags and other portable luggage have relied on various arrangements of buckles or snap fasteners to permit engagement and disengagement of straps or other members used for securing the luggage in a folded or more compact position for stowage or transport. The conventional buckle is relatively awkward to manipulate to an open or closed position, and the buckle components may protrude sufficient from some baggage to become damaged by baggage-handling machinery. The conventional snap fastener may permit a more compact arrangement of fastening strap and securement, but such snap fasteners are kept closed only by the friction force of the button-socket snap arrangement. If the snap fastener is designed with sufficient friction force to avoid becoming unsnapped during baggage handling or conveying, straps secured with such snap fasteners may be relatively difficult for the traveler to disconnect when desired.
Some portable luggage is equipped with wheels and a handle so that the traveler can easily bring the luggage without supporting its entire weight. One example of such luggage is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,995,478. In many situations, however, the traveler also carries separate bags such as a briefcase or equipment case, or a smaller auxiliary bag for stowing last-minute articles or objects that won't fit within the primary piece of luggage. These auxiliary articles or stowage bags often are propped onto the wheeled luggage or lashed in place by an arrangement of hooks and bungee cords, allowing the traveler to move in aggregation of portable luggage between the airplane, the air terminal, and ground transportation. However, once the traveler arrives at the aircraft, it may become necessary to detach these auxiliary articles as well as any separate hooks or attachments used to temporarily secure the articles to the primary piece of luggage. Once again, conventional securement or attachment devices such as button snaps can prove awkward or time-consuming for the traveler to disconnect, particularly in the crowded environment of an aircraft cabin during boarding.